Mourinho says Vinicius should have left Real amid Arsenal interest

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Jose Mourinho has admitted that Vinicius Junior probably should have left Real Madrid for a club where he would be more 'respected', months after the Brazilian turned down a move to Arsenal.

Vinicius, 26, was one of Arsenal's top summer targets, with Mikel Arteta keen to bring in the winger as he entered the final year of his Real Madrid contract. The Gunners were reportedly willing to make him their highest paid player, with his previous Real deal worth £400,000 per week. Instead, Real moved to tie him down with a new contract running until 2032, and Vinicius opted to stay.

Part of that decision was tied to the abuse he has faced throughout his time in Spain. Vinicius has previously said that leaving La Liga would 'give the racists what they want', framing his decision to stay as a stand against the treatment he has received.

Mourinho's admission

Despite Vinicius committing his future to the club, Mourinho suggested he understands why a departure might have made sense. Speaking about his forward, Mourinho said: “If I were in his shoes, I probably wouldn't be here. I would have forced a move to a country where he'd be respected, but out of loyalty to Real Madrid and love for the club, he stayed.”

Mourinho added: “He believes things can improve, and he still has that smile. Nothing and no one can take it away from him. He's a fantastic guy, and it's easy to get along with him. I spend a few minutes alone with him every day. I value him immensely because he always manages to live and survive with a smile.”

The comments, first reported by the Mirror, come at a time when Vinicius has been a regular starter under Mourinho, featuring in nine of his first ten games in charge this season and contributing one goal and three assists.

Suspension and upcoming fixtures

Vinicius is currently serving a four match suspension after pulling an opponent's hair during a recent game, and was substituted after 59 minutes in Real's 4-3 Champions League win away to Roma in midweek. The ban rules him out of El Clasico next weekend, with Real currently nine points behind league leaders Barcelona, who have won all nine of their league games so far this season. Real host Sevilla on Sunday before that clash with Barcelona.

For Arsenal, the episode serves as confirmation that interest in Vinicius was real last summer, even if it ultimately came to nothing. Whether the club revisits a move in future windows remains to be seen, but for now the forward's long term future appears settled at the Bernabeu.